Johnson Grabs Mystifying Win at Minneapolis

[rebelracewriter]

Johnson Grabs Mystifying Win at Minneapolis

by Dusty Wiegert

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS, Kan. -- On a misty and foggy evening at the Minneapolis Raceway Missouri driver Matt Johnson made the long tow pay off with a big win in the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Serie's first visit in 2010.

 

 

Johnson drew the outside pole position for the feature event after a second place finish in his heat race. He quickly jumped to the lead, beating Nebraskan Jerry Warner on the start. Johnson checked out quickly while Warner, Delbert Smith, and Mike Wiarda stage a great battle for second. The first yellow came out on lap 7 for Tyler Gottschalk.

 

 

On the restart Johnson pulled away again while Wiarda pulled into third and David Brack challenging Smith for fourth. Another yellow came out on lap 9 for a spin by Doug Sieh, followed by another on lap 11 for Cale Gottschalk.

 

 

On the restart Rick Leatherman got into the wall on the frontstretch ending his night and another yellow, the last to come out. From there the race went green to checkered. Johnson manuevered his way through lapped traffic until 5 to go when Wiarda started catching Johnson as he had trouble getting around Earl Kinderknecht. Time ran out for Wiarda, who had closed in considerably as Johnson crossed first, followed by Wiarda, Warner, Smith, and Brack.

 

 

The drive of the night was by local Kelly Dunn. Dunn ran in the top 10 until pulling into the pits during the yellow. When he came back out of the pits and started last he ran from dead last up to 6th by the end of the race with what some considered the fastest car on the track.

 

 

Wiarda, Warner, and Dunn won the heat races with Johnson picking up the extra money in the Alternative Pest Management Cash Dash.

 

 

Caney driver Gary Gorby padded his points lead with another top 10 finish but Cale and Tyler Gottschalk, Darin Busch, and Brad Fortney continue to be within striking distance.

 

 

The Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series is back in action next Saturday night May 22 at the Mid-America Speedway in South Coffeyville, Oklahoma.

 

 

For more information on the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series please visit www.mdlms.net

 

 

RESULTS

 

 

A Feature

1. 5J Matt Johnson

2. 1W Mike Wiarda

3. 92 Delbert Smith

4. 89 Jerry Warner

5. 701 David Brack

6. 31 Kelly Dunn

7. 7C Gary Gorby

8. T1T Earl Kinderknecht

9. 59 Brad Fortney

10. 56 Darin Busch

11. 2 Dustin Vance

12. 81 Doug Sieh

13. 11 Steve Johnson

14. 28C Cale Gottschalk

15. 9 Joseph Gorby

16. 16 Rick Leatherman

17. 25T Tyler Gottschalk

18. 1JR Justin Kinderknecht